Tony Gaffney will get a shot to earn a contract with the L.A. Lakers in the NBA summer league.

June 26, 2009

AMHERST, Mass. -
A day after the NBA Draft, UMass' Tony Gaffney has joined the NBA World Champion Los Angeles Lakers. Gaffney will have a chance to earn a roster spot as he will play for the Lakers Summer League team. Former Minuteman Gary Forbes will also play in the league, as he will join the Philadelphia 76ers summer roster.

Twenty-one NBA teams, including the 2009 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers, will compete in this year's NBA Summer League presented by EA SPORTS with action taking place at the Thomas & Mack Center and the COX Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas July 10-19.

Gaffney had a breakout 2008-09 senior year as he was named the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player Of The Year. He was also named to the league's Second Team and All-Defensive Team. Gaffney was also named to College Insider.com's Defensive All-American team.

He ranked third in the NCAA in blocks (3.8) and 17th in rebounds (10.2). Led A-10 in blocks, second in rebounds, second in steals. Gaffney averaged a double-double 11.5 points and 10.2 rebounds in 33.9 minutes per game. 3.8 blocks and 2.03 steals per game. He became, the fifth player in NCAA since 1996-97 with 100 blocks and 50 steals in a season (115 and 61). Last: Duke's Shelden Williams in 2005-06.

He was named by ESPN's Fran Fraschilla as the 5th-best rebounder in the nation through the first half of the 2008-09 season. He became the sixth player with 100 blocks in a season in UMass history. Stands third in single-season with 115. Gafney became the first UMass player to averaged 10 rebounds per game since Mark Haymore (10.0) in 1978-79, highest average since Jim Town in 1976-77. He is also the first player since ark Haymore to averaged a double-double since Haymore (17.1 ppg and 10.0 rpg) in 1978-79.

His steals total of 61 ranked as fifth-most in a single-season. 307 rebounds ranked as ninth-most in a season in history. He had 12 double-doubles this season after none in his career (first 81 games) entering season. 20 games with 10 or more rebounds. He finished seventh in UMass career blocked shots with 174.